Intersecting Inequalities: Research to Reduce Inequality for Immigrant Origin Children and Youth

Intersecting Inequalities summarizes what current research suggests are the six major risk factors confronting immigrant-origin youth: low levels of parental education and employment, poverty, recent arrival in the U.S. (within 10 years), language barriers, racialization as a "visible minority," and undocumented status of self and/or parent.

When these factors intersect, they are predictive of poor educational, health, social, and economic outcomes for children. The authors also explore key contexts for the alleviation of these inequalities, focusing on school and family environments as places where positive change can be achieved. With regard to schools, the authors looks at evidence-based practices in six key areas: English language instruction, assessment procedures, supports for immigrant students during the "critical transition phase," state and federal educational policies, and improving college pathways and persistence. To reduce disparities in the family environment, the authors stress the importance of access to antipoverty programs, educational programs to boost the human capital of parents, and programs to regularize the status of the undocumented population. The article closes by lamenting the paucity of research on immigrants as the primary target of investigation and suggests various approaches to fill this gap.  (Abstract courtesy Nicholas Montalto, PhD.)

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